Special Needs
by TheTranquilTornado
Summary: The Cahills are sent to the Hallsworth's Special Needs and Correctional Facility. But why? And will they discover something extremely dangerous? Read and find out!
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey, it's Tranquil here. Again. This is my third story! *fireworks* This is a third-person story about when the Cahills go to a special needs/correctional facility to hide from the Vespers. And they find something strange... DUN DUN DUUUN! :D Anyways, I'm not sure where I'm going with this story, 'cause it just came to me in a dream, so I may not update so often... And to people who do have special needs or disabilities, please don't be offended, I don't mean for it to be offending or hurtful in any way. But just enjoy! And please review and tell me what you think!**_

_**This might be a little like ivyfedora's **_**Damaged Goods_, but it should be pretty different :)_**

_**DISCLAIMER TIME:**_

**I would get someone else to do it, but Amy's at book club, Dan's trying out for ninja classes, the Holts are busy training for their fourth Olympics, Natalie insists she can't leave he mall until she's gotten the newest Prada purse, Ian complains that he needs more sleep because of all his business work, the Starlings are doing an experiment in which something will probably blow up, and Da Wiz and his cousin are on tour... Wait, did I just say that the Starlings might blow something up?! I gotta get out of here-and fast! I do not own the 39 Clues! Otherwise the Starlings would not be blowing stuff up! *runs off desperately***

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"Special needs," Amy mused.

"I'm not a special needs person! I'm just an incredibly awesome super-ninja master!" Dan yelled. He couldn't believe he was being _imprisoned _like this.

They drove along the winding road on a bleak August evening. Amy shivered in the rattling, creaky van, wrapping her sweater tighter around her. Sinead huddled up next to her, using every heat trick to remember to keep them warm, while Ned and Ted tried to fix the van.

"I am Natalie Kabra! Who do they think they are, labeling us as special needs?"

Amy felt her cellphone vibrate in her jacket pocket. With trembling hands, she pulled it out and flipped up the screen. Fiske Cahill, it read. Pressing the answer button, she clamped to her ear.

"Uncle Fiske?" came Amy's slightly quavering voice.

"Amy, could you put it on speaker? I have to explain something." She felt her heart sink-she'd hoped that Fiske would have something special to say to her and Dan, to comfort them on this dark road.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sure you're safe and sound, on your way there." Fiske said. There was a quite muttering of complaint- they weren't really safe and sound.

"On our way. But where to, Uncle Fiske?" Sinead still didn't understand where they were going- at least, not properly.

"More importantly-WHY?!" Natalie yelled, throwing her arms up in frustration. She just couldn't attend a filthy old peasant school and say she had problems! What would people think?

"We are sending you to the Hallsworth's Special Needs and Correctional Facility. Schools have begun to get suspicious about your special talents, and a few rumors have been circulating. We can't afford to let Vespers get suspicious too, so we're sending you here. They wouldn't expect to find Cahills here. The serum affects any DNA with a problem that could handicap them. So they never really have special needs. There's only been around two or three exceptions, but that's it. So, that's why. "They were silent. Ian was the first to break it.

"Uncle Fiske. We really aren't special needs. How will you disguise it?"

"Ah, well. I said it was a correctional facility too, didn't I? You will be a bit of both. Amy, you will be a very shy girl who stutters excessively and has a fear of fire." Amy winced.

"Dan, you will be a boy with ADHD." Dan seemed to dislike being called ADHD, but when he remembered that people with ADHD were usually very hyperactive, he realized it was a perfect excuse to be a ninja.

"Hamilton, Reagan, and Madison, you will be aggressive people, who used to bully others." They had been bullies, once. When they didn't know it wasn't OK to beat people up anytime. Their disguise would be easy to pull off. Unfortunately.

"Ian, you will be an antisocial and mood swinging teen. Natalie, you will be an obsessed shopaholic, with minor diet problems." Natalie smirked at the word 'minor', safe in the knowledge that she had the least to worry about.

"Sinead, you will be an overly argumentative genius, with insomnia. And of course, Ned and Ted won't need a cover up." The Starlings exchanged knowing glances with each other. Ned and Ted knew that they would have to help Sinead with her cover.

"Are you all okay with your disguises?" There was a chorus of mutters, groans, and sighs. "Excellent. The line is becoming insecure, so I must leave. Good luck." There was a click, and then the phone went dead.

Amy fingered the brochure of the Hallsworth's facility. It seemed all smiley and happy and safe, but Amy had learned she couldn't trust anyone easily. Every teacher could be a Vesper, out to get them. She turned it over to the back, and noticed fine print at the bottom of the page on counselors. It read:

_No outside contact is allowed within the facility, except in the case of an emergency. This is to ensure that all treatments, therapies, procedures and education run smoothly and are not interrupted by outside influence._

Amy stopped breathing for almost a whole minute. No outside contact? That mean she wouldn't be able to talk to Fiske, or Nellie, or any of her friends! She would be all alone in the facility, except for the Cahills.

"Sinead," she said, weakly. Handing over the brochure with her trembling fingers, she pointed to the ominous fine print.

"Guys, listen up. Amy found something. It says here, in fine print, _No outside contact is allowed within the facility, except in the case of an emergency. This is to ensure that all treatments, therapies, procedures and education run smoothly and are not interrupted by outside influence._" Sinead gasped. "What?"

"Does that mean we won't be able to talk to Mom? Or Dad?" Reagan asked, trying to keep her lip as stiff as possible. She and Madison had always been able to contact their parents.

"No deliveries of designer clothes?"

"But Ned and Ted need to be able to talk to the doctor about their treatments!"

"I need to keep the Kabra business going! If it stops, we'll lose the little money we have!"

Hundreds of protests and arguments were thrown into the air, only to bounce right back in their faces.

Amy hid herself behind a curtain of reddish-brown hair, and muttered the only thought that came to her.

"Fiske is crazy."

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_**Did you like it? Did you not like it? Tell me what you thought so I can make it better! And if you have time, can you check out my other story, **_**Sweet Sixteen_? I'd really appreciate it! Thanks! I have to go, my laptop is running out of battery... See ya on the next chapter!_**

**_~TheTranquilTornado_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Did ya miss me? I decided to continue this story, 'coz I felt bad about abandoning it and I couldn't think of any other way to write it. I hope you guys still like it! I'm going to give a special mention to all the reviewers who have convinced me to keep writing this, and especially to clara0414 who took time to point out lots of corrections/improvements and I'm really grateful for that! Anyways, this update is kinda quick because I just wanted to get something up here ASAP, so enjoy!**

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The driver flipped up his phone and tapped a quick message to the mysterious contact 'Elegance'. _Got it. Will send details later. _A beep came instantly, signaling the new message. It read: _Excellent. Your payment will arrive as soon as you get home._

* * *

The sun was setting in the distance; small specks of light seemed to be resisting the pull of the horizon. Before long, the sky had darkened and the van's headlights were on, the only light source for miles.

"These people should invest in road signs and headlights." Ian muttered nonchalantly. He was bored and frustrated, and he clearly wanted to criticize something.

"This is a poorer part of the country-"

"Population five-hundred. They only make enough money to feed themselves and keep their small town going. They prefer inter-town transport-"

"Their import/export history only shows about five trades-"

"And that was still within the state." Ned concluded. A chance to argue with Ian and win was something that may just keep him going for the bleak prospect of living with him. In the same building. For a year. Pretending to be someone else.

Amy shivered again, and Sinead huddled up closer to her. She seemed to be losing her energy; her once vibrant red hair was falling in lifeless clumps around her shoulders.

"I still don't get it," Amy muttered. Sinead gripped her clammy hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry," she said. "Everything will be fine." But this was something she had said too many times.

* * *

An hour or so later, the van pulled up to the towering building. It was a tall yet wide structure, and very modern. It had curved walls and sea green glass windows. Across the top of it read HALLSWORTH'S SPECIAL NEEDS AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY in bold green letters- a bright contrast to the shimmering orange and yellow walls. Elegantly carved French doors welcomed the group with a mocking smile.

"At least it's... _somewhat _classy." Natalie remarked. She pushed through the nearly broken doors of the van and strutted triumphantly and smugly towards the building. An inch from the door, and she was greeted by a smiling woman with ginger hair and freckles, who was caked in pastel makeup.

"Ah, you must be the... uh... Chills?" she read out uncertainly from the small paper she held in her slender fingers.

"Cahills, actually." Ian corrected. She smiled a fake and intimidating smile.

"Of course! Come right this way."

The woman led them down a maze of corridors, turning left and right, going up and down, and even pressing buttons on walls to open new corridors! Amy's head was spinning by the time she had showed them the whole building.

"I'll send for someone to show you to your dormitories, and you will receive your timetables and books. But after that we'll expect you to be ready for classes tomorrow! This is a school, you know. Good afternoon, then." She turned on her heel and left them sitting in the radiant lobby.

Amy stroked the sofa timidly, as if it would come out and bite.

"It's red, love. Aren't you scared of fire?" Amy jumped back suddenly, and saw Ian smirking.

"It's not f-funny. Don't c-call me l-love."

"Well, at least you got the shyness and stuttering right." He said it more seriously, which frightened her. "I'm sorry. I just... don't want to do this. Be 'antisocial' and all. You don't think I am, do you?"

"If you're antisocial, stop talking to me. Let's just get through this year, okay? No more calling me 'love'. No joking about our situation. And no getting out of character!" Amy yelled. It echoed in the marble room, and she covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"Well I only wanted to make life less serious so we could at least have some fun!" he yelled back, turning away. Amy knew that she'd hurt him, but she didn't want to apologize. He was a 'stupid git', as Natalie might put it.

A small, sweet voice broke the tense silence. "Um, I'm here to escort the Cahills?" They got up wordlessly, and followed the young woman towards what would be their new life.

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**Like? No like? Tell me in your review which you will definitely be writing! (see, I'm psychic :D) The next ****update will be up soon but that will also be pretty short, but I promise the 4th update will be as long as I can make it! See ya on the next update :) Please point out any mistakes/improvements, and don't be afraid to drop in suggestions for my story! I know what will happen in the middle, but I'll gladly take requests for what you would like to see in future updates! (Wow, that sounds kind of formal :P) Bye now!**

**~_TheTranquilTornado_**


	3. Chapter 3

**This is a really quick note because I don't want to get in the way of your reading! Review at the end! Enjoy! Bye!**

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Madison felt the walls gingerly, which was unusual for a Holt. Something didn't quite feel right about this place, and no Starling logic could possibly disprove that. She could feel it in her sister too- she was shivering slightly, even though it was only eighty degrees. Sinead was whispering quietly in Amy's ear, and Natalie was wrapping herself in her baby pink shawl and walking with as much confidence as she could muster. Madison and Reagan were walking quite fast compared to the others, and were just behind the guide.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Ms. Lancing, and I'll be your counselor, girls. Boys, a man named Mr. Pickering will meet you tomorrow." The fact that they even needed to pretend they needed counselors was outrageous. Reagan gritted her teeth together, as if she could have enough rebellious energy to get them all out of here. Madison exchanged sympathetic glances with her sister. Reagan had a minor case of claustrophobia, and the narrow, dimly lit corridors weren't helping much.

"Maddie. Maddie. Maddie!" The sound of Reagan's concerned voice snapped her out of her distant thoughts, and she saw the gleaming white door in front of them.

"Here we are!" Ms. Lancing said brightly. She pressed a button on the golden doorknob and it swung open, revealing a pastel colored room, with five candy colored beds, several lamps and lights, a flatscreen TV, a huge blue bathroom, and there was even more hidden around the corner.

* * *

"Come along, boys. Don't worry, yours is just around the corner. I know you family types, always wanting to be together." She turned around and smiled spookily. SHe clearly didn't know that they were just cousins- thirteen to thirty times removed. As if to defy her, each boy suddenly made sure they had an arm's length of space in all directions, which was actually really difficult in that cramped corridor. Before they knew it, their door had arrived, and was opened to reveal a deep blue and black room, with exactly the same stuff that they saw in the girls' room.

* * *

"You know, it doesn't seem too bad," Sinead thought out loud.

"Are you kidding? This place is way too cramped! And so easy to get lost in!" Reagan argued.

"Guys, we may as well not fight and just live with it. We've got to be positive. We're stuck in this building for a whole year, with no way to contact our families or friends, no holidays, and we're not even ourselves. We've got to keep up the acting for a whole year!" Amy sunk to the floor by the window dejectedly. Their situation looked hopeless in any light, and she wasn't even sure if Sinead would be able to convince them all that their predicament wasn't so bad.

* * *

Dan had settled on the bed next to Hamilton, who was frowning. It was nearly a scowl.

Ian touched the table and inspected his dusty finger.

"Maintenance: cheap." He walked around. "Furnishing: awful." He picked up a service menu, and flicked through quickly. "Service: limited. Overall? Amazing." he concluded sarcastically.

The dark blue curtains swayed lazily in the tiny breeze that had snuck in through a crack in the panels. All the wood looked dull and matte, as if they had never been polished. The beds lay haphazardly in a row against the right wall. Out of their ceiling-to-floor window, the five boys could only see a deserted stretch of greenery, which was turning an amber-ochre color. Dan fiddled with the AC only to find that it didn't go below seventy degrees.

"Never mind," sighed Ned.

"You may as well start getting into character." Ted yawned sleepily. He had had a restless journey in the van, and all he desired was for his head to switch off as soon as it hit the pillow. But ever since the accident, sleep hadn't come easily. And Hamilton didn't make it any easier.

"Security seems pretty tight around here," Ian added with a touch of concern. "Best not say anything out loud."

As he lay in his bed (which was way too soft), all Hamilton wanted was to go back home and playa good game of soccer. He'd finally been getting used to life after the clue hunt. He had stopped bullying. And now he was starting again. Personally, he thought the plan was stupid. They'd been able to work their way around Vespers before. They could do it again! Holts don't hide away in correctional facilities. They go out there- and they fight. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand knowing that there was something going on out there but not what it was, and that he wouldn't be able to help.

Dan lay on his side, hoping things would go better than they expected. Because if not, then life was going to be worse than being locked up by Isabel Kabra. And that is an excruciatingly painful and horrific thing. If it gets worse... He just hoped Fiske knew what he was doing.

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**Hope you liked this! I know my updates are pretty short, but I will make a really long one just for you guys! :D Please review!**

**~_TheTranquilTornado_**


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